The United States postal service will temporarily close post offices in the nation’s capital in preparation for next week’s inauguration day.
The collection boxes have also been moved or blocked, suspending mailing locations in certain areas of Washington.
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But a spokesman for the federal courier service told Fox News that the process was part of its protocol.
“It is part of our normal procedures to keep our employees and customers safe during times of protest or when large crowds flock to post offices, postal routes or mailboxes,” the USPS said in a statement on Saturday.
More than 15 different USPS locations were stopped in DC, with several days of reopening.
DC will see massive street closures on January 20 – a normal security procedure for the swearing in of a United States president – but this year security has reached an unprecedented level with the dispatch of 21,000 national guards and 5,000 active soldiers.
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The increased security was adopted after the breach in the U.S. Capitol last week by thousands of Trump supporters, resulting in the deaths of at least five individuals.
But while impacts on Washington’s courier service may be common during presidential inauguration, at least 17 other states will also be closed, CNN reported first.
The FBI warned of protests in all state capitals during and around Induction Day, advising state and security officials to be alert to an increase in explosive devices.
An FBI spokesman told Fox News that they are “supporting our state, local and federal law enforcement partners with maintaining public safety in the communities we serve.”
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“Our efforts are focused on identifying, investigating and stopping individuals who are inciting violence and engaging in criminal activity,” added the FBI in its statement. “As we do in the normal course of business, we are collecting information to identify any potential threats and sharing that information with our partners.
“The FBI respects the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights,” added the statement.
Stephanie Pagones contributed to this report.